


The Brownies at the End of the World

by thesaltydragon



Category: Dear Evan Hansen - Pasek & Paul/Levenson
Genre: Apocalypse, First Kiss, I'm awful, Kleinsen, M/M, small amount of swearing i think maybe 3?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2019-02-08 23:59:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12875823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesaltydragon/pseuds/thesaltydragon
Summary: The world is ending, literally. Jared Kleinman figures some things out just before the clock runs out.





	The Brownies at the End of the World

**Author's Note:**

> honestly wtf is this  
> wtf is the title  
> wtf is the plot  
> wtf am i

“It is mandatory for all citizens to carry out the next few weeks as they normally would. Last minute crimes and indecencies will not be tolerated. Please, do not make your last weeks harder for yourself or others. Embrace love.” The radio transmission always ended that way lately, “embrace love”. Humanity’s last effort to maintain peace before the asteroid destroys everything everyone has ever known.

They’d known for six months about the asteroid hurtling toward Earth, eager to kill and desolate. The first few months had been the hardest. Everyone was expected to remain calm, to act normal, but everything was chaotic. Looting, murder, adultery—every crime and every sin bled from humanity’s wounds. Then they stopped.

The fourth month—two months and three weeks until everyone perishes—saw the end of the majority of crimes, though some people still tried and were promptly arrested. It saw warring nations work together to feed their citizens, estranged friends and family meeting up and hugging, hate groups helping their former victims. To Jared Kleinman, it meant everyone was beginning to really become terrified. 

Jared had always been an expert at suppressing his emotions. He hid his own insecurities daily through dry and oftentimes pretty rude humor. He didn’t want people to get close enough to him so that when they eventually—and inevitably—left him, he wouldn’t deal with the agonizing emotional pain of being rejected, unwanted. This was Jared Kleinman’s greatest fear, and no impending global genocide could change it.

It also couldn’t change that school was still in session.

Jared figured that this was part of the whole “act natural” campaign from the government. It made sense. People would be less scared, slightly. But, god, did Jared hate school. He’d tried to drop out two months after the announcement, but his mother had legally forced him back. He didn’t see the point. He would never graduate. Sure, the acting natural helped others suppress their fear, but Jared was used to doing that himself. Plus, he did not want to die in a classroom. 

Seeing his family friend, Evan Hansen, every day also did not make things better for Jared. The kid was overanxious, which is saying something, about the whole world situation. He had also tried many times to get Jared to drop the “family” part of their friendship and to “j-just embrace love, Jared! Like they want us to!” Poor Evan Hansen. If only he knew what embracing love meant to Jared—being rejected. He definitely could not drop the “family”. He definitely could not let Evan get close. Not while there was still time for him to change his mind. 

After the daily radio transmission they’d all grown accustomed to, Jared trudged his way to the cafeteria to eat end-of-the-world school pizza and disappointing, soggy French fries. 

He was surprised to see Evan there, next to Jared’s personally claimed lunch seat, standing awkwardly as usual. Great, Jared thought, he’s trying to appeal to my humanity again. He looked Evan in the eyes as he dropped his plastic tray on the table and sat down, the other boy maintaining eye contact. Better get this over with. 

“What do you want, acorn?” Jared stuffed three French fries into his mouth at once. 

Evan cleared his throat and sat beside him, impossibly more awkward than before. “I-“ he started, and cleared his throat again. “I just wanted to sit with you.” He shrugged.

“You? Wanted to sit with me?” Jared tried not to laugh. He was feeling less than malicious today. “Why the hell would you want that?”

“Because,” Evan argued, “I’m trying that embracing love thing, remember?” He was doing better than he had been at the start of the initial panic. He was speaking clearer, slower. Jared knew the progress was all for naught. 

“Can’t you try that with Zoe Murphy?” Jared took more French fries into his mouth.

Evan looked down at his hands. “N-No,” he stuttered. “It wouldn’t turn into much. There isn’t really time.” 

Jared knew not to bring up the asteroid with Evan. It was the biggest trigger to his anxiety. Something must be eating at him for him to bring it up on his own. “Why would you try it with me, then?” Jared made his best attempt to sound passive. 

“Because, Jared, we’ve known each other for years, and I refuse to die being your ‘family friend’!” Evan’s face was red.

Jared was shocked. This really must be upsetting Evan for him to be acting like this. He didn’t know what to say. 

“And don’t try to think of a witty remark!” Evan was louder now, redder. “I’m not putting up with that anymore. Give me these three weeks.” His voice softened and he looked down again. “Please, Jared.”

So Jared reluctantly dropped the “family” from “family friend”. For Evan.

 ——————————————

The day finally came. Jared could feel the fear in the air, thicker than any fog, any murky swamp. The whole world felt that way. The whole world had made the silent decision to live Earth’s last day like any other. No countdowns, no TV programs broadcasting the asteroid, no nothing. Just everyday life. 

For Jared, this was new. He was official friends with Evan, regular friends. It felt good—it’s what he’d wanted for years but was too afraid of being thrown out to try. They still weren’t as close as Jared had dreamed. He couldn’t quite place what was wrong. He assumed he’d never really know. He wasn’t such an asshole to Evan anymore. There just wasn’t a point. They’d even planned a sleepover for tonight, like normal friends do, on normal days when the world doesn’t end. 

School was ritualistic. The pledge was said, notes were taken, and Jared even had a damn math test. He did his best. Why wouldn’t he? Everyone was too afraid to break the cycle of normalcy. Jared’s fear was coming out a little now, brought on by his official friendship with Evan. 

School ended. No asteroid. It must be coming soon. Jared didn’t dwell on it. He went home. His mother asked how his day was, as usual. He said “fine” as usual. He packed his toothbrush and a change of clothes, got in his car, adjusted the mirror, and drove to Evan’s. 

Evan answered the door with a smile on his face. It was contagious. Jared couldn’t help but let a small smile escape on his lips. 

“You came!” Evan sounded surprised, as he wasn’t quite used to Jared wanting anything to do with him. Jared knew this, and he resented himself for waiting this long. But, the world wasn’t gone yet, and there was still time for Evan to reject him. 

“Yeah, of course, acorn.” Jared hadn’t stopped calling Evan that; it was too familiar. It reminded him of his place as future former friend. Even if tonight was their last. 

“Come in!” Evan’s mother, Heidi Hansen called out from inside, and Jared could see her in the kitchen. “Hi, Jared!”

Walking in, Jared waved to Heidi. “Hi, Mrs. Hansen. My mom says hi, too,” he added, which wasn’t a complete lie. His mom had indeed told him to tell Heidi hello. It was just…four years ago. This was the first time Jared had been to Evan’s since then. He was doing well by remembering what his mother asked of him.

Heidi made some remark about the two of them growing up fast, and then they were in Evan’s room. It had changed since Jared last saw it. A bedside table with a lamp, stack of books, and pill counter was on the side by the door. A bookshelf covered the opposite wall, filled with mostly nonfiction. Trees, probably. Evan was quite the arborist. 

The taller boy sat on his bed, expectant eyes watching Jared. Jared sat, too. He was supposed to. Right? That’s what you do at sleepovers. You sit and talk and do shit together. That’s what Jared thought. He’d never been to one. 

They were quiet for a while. Evan probably didn’t know what to say. Jared felt…warm with him. Safer. Like the world might not be ending before midnight. He still couldn’t place what it meant. 

Eventually the two of them started a board game. Monopoly. Because why not? It eliminated a good percentage of the tension between them. They used Jared’s rules. You can’t buy property if you rolled an odd number. You can’t get the $200 from passing Go if you land on it directly. Things that Evan thought were funny. Jared told him he’d made those rules while playing alone as a kid. To make it more interesting. More like a challenge. Like someone else was playing, too. 

The game lasted a long time. Evan told Jared some things he’d learned at his internship, and Jared listened. For the first time, he let himself listen, and it was fascinating. Not the trees, but Evan himself was causing him to feel some feeling Jared had trouble with. 

As the afternoon went on, he realized that feeling was love.

—————————

Jared Kleinman realized he loved Evan Hansen on the last day of their lives. He certainly, definitely, unequivocally, loved Evan Hansen. This was what he was afraid of. This leads to rejection. But at 11:57pm on Earth’s last day, was there time for Evan to reject him? 

Evan’s eyelids sagged; he was obviously tired. Had he forgotten about the end of the world? He didn’t seem anxious. Was this a good time to make a move? It was now or never, quite literally.

Jared made his decision. He won’t die letting his fears get the worst of him. He scooted closer to Evan, the both of them on the floor around the Monopoly board. They’d started their third game, and Evan had made his own wacky rule: If the time is an even number, you go half the number you roll on the dice. Jared liked this rule. But right now, he could only focus on the taller boy. 

“What are you doing, Jared?” Evan’s voice was indicative of how tired he was. His words slightly slurred. He blinked slowly.

“Just,” Jared breathed, “trying something before it’s too late.” He made sure he could see the clock—it read 11:59—and kissed Evan. Jared kissed Evan on the mouth. It was soft, chaste, and everything Jared had been feeling that night was poured from his lips into Evan’s. 

Evan, though, gasped against Jared’s mouth and froze. Jared had expected that, but he didn’t fear the rejection as he saw the clock turn to 12:00.

————————————

Evan pulled Jared off of him. “W-what the hell are you d-doing?” His stammering was back. 

“Wait-“ Jared began, but Evan cut him off. 

“What was that, J-Jared?” He didn’t look angry, Jared noted. At least he didn’t look angry. But—

“Why aren’t we dead?!” Jared all but screamed. “We should be dead, Evan! This was the day! What the fuck happened?!”

“The world is in utter celebration! All people of all walks of life are on the streets together! It’s the best sight humanity has ever seen!” The radio transmission didn’t end with “embrace love” this time. Everyone already had. 

There had been a miscalculation. The asteroid never hit the Earth. It broke up before entering the atmosphere. No one died. Nothing was destroyed. 

Well, Jared’s new friendship with Evan might have been. 

He’d kissed him. Jared Kleinman had kissed Evan Hansen because it was their last day alive and Jared had realized he loved him. Only, it wasn’t their last day alive, and Jared did love him. 

It was two in the morning, on a morning no one expected to come. Jared had locked himself in Evan’s bathroom, but Heidi’s kitchen radio was loud enough for him to hear the whole explanation. He’d really screwed up. How could he come back from that? Now there was unlimited time for Evan to reject him, like Jared knew would happen. 

A knock on the door snapped him from his panic. 

“J-Jared, please open the door.” It was Evan. He was definitely not going to open the door for Evan. “We didn’t die, did you hear? We aren’t gonna die!” He sounded relieved but surprised, like the whole world probably was. Except Jared. He was surprised, all right, but that was the least of his worries now. 

“Jared, please,” Evan tried again. “Come out, my mom made brownies for us. She stayed up to make your weird peanut butter brownies you like.” 

That was tempting. Maybe Jared didn’t die from an asteroid, but he’d die of a broken heart sooner or later, so why not eat a last meal at two in the morning?

He opened the door, not making eye contact with Evan at all. He opened his mouth to ask where the brownies were, but suddenly something was covering it. He looked up, and realized Evan was kissing him. Evan Hansen was kissing Jared Kleinman. He wasn’t yelling at him. He wasn’t demanding an explanation. He wasn’t fidgeting or shaking, either. He was smooth, and so was his kiss. It lasted longer than Jared could think coherently. Then it was over. 

Jared looked up at Evan, who seemed taller than before. Evan smiled at him. 

“T-There are no brownies,” he laughed nervously. “I-I lied about that.”

Jared once again tried to speak, but lately Evan was full of interruptions, which would not have been allowed under Jared’s previous “family friends” package. Jared had the impression Evan knew what he was going to say. 

“I-I love you, too, Jared,” Evan said, and Jared didn’t worry about being rejected for the rest of the night.

**Author's Note:**

> again wtf is this


End file.
